San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan addressed reporters ahead of Wednesday's practice as the team gears up for its Week 2 matchup against the New Orleans Saints. Here's everything he said.
Transcript provided by the San Francisco 49ers Communications staff.
Opening comments:
"Injuries for today. [DL] Yetur [Gross-Matos] will not practice, knee. [RB Christian] McCaffrey will not practice, calf/vet day. [T] Trent Williams won't practice, knee/vet day. [DL] Nick Bosa won't practice, vet day. [QB] Brock Purdy won't practice, left shoulder and toe. [WR] Jauan Jennings won't practice, shoulder. [RB] Jordan James, limited, finger. [WR] Jordan Watkins, limited, ankle. [OL] Ben Bartch, limited, knee and elbow. Go ahead."
Any further sense about whether Brock will be able to play on Sunday?
"I think it's a long shot."
TE George Kittle's hamstring. Are there any more details?
"No, that's going to be some time."
Is it possible that Purdy's injury could be a multi-week thing?
"That's possible."
And that's the toe more so than the shoulder?
"Yes."
What do you see as the strength of QB Mac Jones' game after watching him this summer?
"I think Mac knows how to play the position. He can play well in the pocket, distributes the ball well, sees coverage well, can play fast in there. He's got a lot of good film from the NFL with the experience and obviously college. Tough guy who will hang in there and deliver the ball where it needs to go."
Did someone step on his foot, Brock? Did someone step on his foot in the pocket? Do you know how the toe injury happened?
"Yeah, I think it happened scrambling. I think when [Seattle Seahawks S Julian] Love tackled him by the sideline, I believe it happened."
Were you aware he was playing through that in the game or was that just something you found out later?
"No, I was aware. Yeah."
What about the third quarterback spot? Any changes there?
"Not yet. I mean, we'd love to have three guys in the building ready to go. We've obviously still got Brock, but he's not going right now. But, we've got some roster issues where we just can't bring one in right away."
What do you like about K Eddy Piñeiro?
"Everyone felt he was the best option. When I look at just his history, I like how it shows how accurate he's been. I think that was the strongest thing that stuck out, and he's got a lot of experience.
What ultimately led to the decision to let K Jake Moody go?
"Just I think by where it got to, there wasn't that much of a decision. It's always tough with that, especially when you have a talented guy. I have some experience with that in my past. I remember when I was in Washington, I didn't have that experience, and our kicker lost us a game and remember how adamant I was when I went into the head coach's office and said, 'you need to make a change, like what are we doing?' He snapped at me and said 'you don't know kickers, this guy's really talented. We've got to give him some time. I'm not going to watch him go be a Pro Bowler for someone else.' Then two weeks later, he missed a kick and lost us a game. So, I felt like validated. I was like 'I told you,' which I was right for like a day because then the next year, he went on to be a Pro Bowler and the highest paid kicker in the League for the next three years for another team. So those are things that you kind of think about. It's tough with a kicker. I think Jake's got a chance to have a hell of a future. He is that talented. But, when it gets to that spot where it is, we all know how last year ended, we know how everyone was looking at him and obviously when it gets to that point, you can see it affecting him from a mental game. Then you don't how much choice. You've got to move on, and hopefully Eddy will come in here and do the job."
Obviously it's a business, but how hard was that conversation to have with Moody after you bring him here, then you coach him, you give him some confidence, you help him build his confidence, but then in the end it's just, it's not working out?
"I don't think it's that hard to have because I think it is what it is. I mean, I think he knows he wouldn't disagree with us. I mean, he'd have to say why, but it looked like he lost his confidence and he wasn't kicking the ball well enough and it was way too inconsistent. So once that happens and when your stroke in golf is changing all the time and you're trying to fix things, trying to try not to miss it's very hard to succeed at this level that way. There wasn't anything I had to beat around the bush on. He knew that. To a degree, I think this will give him a chance to move on and hopefully find a place where he can get his swag back in that way."
How are Brock and Mac different and similar?
"I mean, they're real similar in terms of how they play the game. They're both extremely tough. They both can distribute the ball. I don't know who has a faster 40, Brock could say he's a little bit better for a scrambler. But they're close to similar."
Can you say if he has turf toe?
"If you want me to. That's a generic thing for anything on the bottom of the big toe. Since it's halfway between the side and the bottom, that's why we don't say turf toe. But it's the third time you've asked me, so I'll call it turf toe for you if you want (laughter)."
You've gained a lot of medical knowledge since Friday.
"I just prepare for you so I memorize something before I come in and hope it'll not lead to a fifth question about his big toe that you want to call it turf toe. That's kind of turf toe."
This was my first Brock Purdy toe question.
"I thought you did it on the Phone call."
Go check the transcript (laughter).
"I feel like I can tell by your tone it was you."
What foot is it on? Is it the big toe?
"That, I don't have to say. I have to say his shoulder, but not the toe."
How quickly can WR Kendrick Bourne get involved in the offense?
"I mean, it always takes time. I know he has been here, but when that's five years ago or whatever it is, he's been in a lot of different stuff and we've changed a lot of stuff. So, it takes time. You hope to ease him in and put him in there when it's totally the right time. We'll see if we have that option."
Does the fact that he played with Mac Jones for three years help at all?
"Not totally. I mean it's good, it doesn't hurt Mac's got a feel for K.B. and stuff like that, but it's not a big deal since it's such a new offense right now for him."
Is it also a long shot for WR Jauan Jennings being that the MRI and CT came back good?
"I'm not going to put anything on it. He's got a chance to play and hopefully he will."
What did you see from New Orleans over the weekend?
"I saw a team that had every chance to win that game. They had it within two scores for a while. I saw a defense that was really hard to get in the end zone on. I saw a special teams that blocked a field goal, that rushes the kicks very well, that has two returners who one was a Pro Bowler last year and scored a couple times and guys who can score on teams. Then I saw an offense and a quarterback who drove them down all the way down on the last play where thought they had a drop on the last play that would have at least tied it up to go to overtime or go for two for the win. So, I saw a team that's very capable of being 1-0, it was their first time together and saw some guys that I remember from the past, but looked like a New Orleans football team."
I know you've gone short stretches without TE George Kittle before, but four games I think will be the longest since he's been here. How daunting is that to lose a guy like that for four games?
"It's a challenge. Once you know what it is, you kind of get out of your head, move on and try to work with what you've got. I think it's harder when guys miss four games and they always got a chance and then because you're always planning on it and then it's different. So, we know we don't have him for four weeks and it'll be a challenge for everybody. You don't replace George in the run game and you definitely don't replace him in the pass game. So, it'll be a challenge for everybody."
Kendrick Bourne, I remember you once comparing him to your son in a very positive way. Does he still have that personality?
"I don't know. I think my son was like 11, nine. I think they've both grown up a little."
It's been a while since we've seen defensive coordinator Robert Saleh in this building. What did you make of his defense on Sunday? It's a lot different than the last time we saw him here.
"It is what I expected, just talking to him and what we've seen throughout the practices and everything. I love having Saleh back. Feel very fortunate for that. Our players love him and I thought he did a hell of a job on Sunday."
What do you see from the O-Line on Sunday and how big of a challenge do the Saints present them this week?
"I thought our O-Line played well on Sunday. I mean, there's things I'd like to have back. They pressured us a ton of times. We had to throw hot a number of times. But, it's going to be a huge challenge this week too. They've got a number of good players. Hopefully we keep getting better."
When it comes to, asking in relation to Moody being part of the 2023 Draft. But the 2023, '22 drafts, I would say you guys wouldn't say were your best. You didn't have a first-round pick. You did get Purdy. But were there any takeaways from those two Drafts that you've applied to these next two?
"I can't think at all. I don't even know what years you're talking about right now. I'm thinking totally about New Orleans, so not really ready to answer that question. We apply things from every Draft, good ones, bad ones. So, I wouldn't have a specific for you right now. I'm more worried about New Orleans and turf toe for sure (laughter)."
What did you make of New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Brandon Staley's defense from New Orleans last week?
"It looked really good. I mean, they're a problem. Does a lot of things, coaches them real well. Looked like they were picking it up fast and thought they made it real hard on Arizona throughout all four quarters."
No targets for WR Marquez Vales-Scantling or WR Russell Gage Jr. in that last game. Was that just a product of the play and how they developed or is just getting them up to speed?
"I think everything. Targets, we don't really predetermine targets unless you give a receiver a screen or a handoff. Everything else has to do with coverages and their opportunities. So sometimes they'll have better luck than others."
FB Kyle Juszczyk was saying that he's been splitting time between fullback and tight end meetings more this year than he has in the past. I know he does some of that stuff anyway, but is the line getting blurred a little more in those positions and could he be more of an option?
"It's always been pretty blurred. They're almost the same thing. Just somewhat very small, different skill sets. But Juice is one of the smarter players I've been around. He's been here for, this is the ninth year now. So, we try to switch it up more for him to keep intriguing him, put him in some different rooms. He goes back and forth more. But you know, we ask all of our tight ends to do what the fullback does too in case we lose juice in a game. So, both of them there's a lot of carryover."
Will you have to bring in another quarterback this week?
"We'd like to, we just don't know if we can."
What about another tight end?
"We'd like to, I think we're trying to do that now."
In terms of the noise down in New Orleans, do you think Seattle kind of preps you for what you're going to experience there?
"To a degree. I mean, Seattle's one of the loudest places I've been and same with New Orleans. Last time we were there 2020, COVID year I kind of blacked out. So, I don't even remember that. But 2019, I do. And that was the loudest game I've ever been in, that shootout. So, preparing for that and hope to make it quieter."
Were there more 49ers fans in Seattle than there have been in the past?
"Yeah, probably. I really notice when I see the red when I walk out. After that, I don't see much off the field though. But, it was cool to hear them walking off the field. I heard them, a lot louder than the other fans."